In a week where the National Park Service has been in the news in relation to alleged censorship on Twitter by the Trump Administration, I have been thinking about one of my favourite things in America – the areas of outstanding beauty that are cared for by the agency – and am inspired to write a post reflecting on my experiences in some of America’s most stunning landscapes. I have had the privilege of spending time in many National Parks, and I hope to continue visiting and that they will remain protected for generations to come. As a Brit, I believe the National Park system is one of America’s finest assets – what follows are some of the parks I’ve been to and the pictures I’ve taken whilst there – I hope you agree that these parks are worth protecting and celebrating!

The Grand Canyon, one of the seven wonders of the world, is a mile deep and around 10 miles wide on average. It is awe inspiring, and frankly left me speechless. I was fortunate enough to fly over the canyon in a helicopter – the moment where you come to the edge of the canyon and your stomach does a somersault inside you, your brain can’t comprehend the sheer size of what you’re looking at, so shrinks it down to make it more manageable. The orange/brown rock surrounds you and far below a thin green line winds it’s way through – the mighty Colorado river, a vast and powerful river which from the top of the canyon appears to be only 5cm wide. The individual layers of rock in the canyon glow in the Arizona sunshine and revealing history in front of your very eyes. It truly is astonishingly beautiful.

Less famous than its nearby cousin, Bryce Canyon is no less fascinating. Here, the rock formations stand tall like statues, an army of soldiers on parade, the fading evening light bouncing off the layers to produce an orange flame of colour. These structures are rather pleasingly called ‘hoodoos’ and can be up to 200ft high, formed not by central erosion, but rather by frost weathering and stream erosion. Native Americans developed a myth that the structures were in fact ‘The Legend People’ that the Coyote, a trickster type character, had turned to stone as punishment for being bad. We stood and stared for almost an hour at these pillars of stone rising up from the ground, proud and striking and beautiful.

Zion is Utah’s oldest National Park, and is made up of giant Sandstone cliffs stretching high up above the Virgin River, which runs through the almost 230,000 square miles of wilderness. Climbing up towards the Emerald Pools, the vista of orange and pink rocks contrasted with a bright blue sky stretches out as far as the eye can see; waterfalls cascade down over pathways carved out by centuries of walkers navigating their way around the water, the droplets forming miniature rainbows as the sunlight hits them. Birds of prey circled overhead as we walked upwards, their calls echoing across the vast valley reminding us of the sheer size of the park. Everywhere you look there is wildlife – a deer darting behind a bush as it hears you approaching, squirrels and mice scurrying over the rocks scavenging for food – thanks to the vast difference in elevation across the park, thousands of species thrive here.

The desert is an incredible place, and Death Valley is no exception. This is the hottest, driest and lowest National Park in the country (over 200ft below sea level). We stayed at Furnace Creek towards the end of September, and the temperature during the day got to 114 degrees Farenheit (45.5 degrees Celcius). This sounds horrendous, but it’s a dry heat, which is marginally more manageable than the humidity of the south. However, 10 minutes outside of the car was enough – the sun burned down onto our skin, the wind hot, and the shade absent. The silence is deafening – the air seems to press in on you and not a sound can be heard. The salt flats glow bright white in the distance, with the foreground made up of brown rocks complete with streaks of pinks and yellows and greens, with traces of blue and purple. It’s a bizzarre landscape, and thoroughly captivating.

Travelling from Death Valley to Yosemite is an ear-popping experience in itself, climbing from 200ft below sea level to 10,000ft above it through desert roads and mountain tracks. As you ascend the landscape changes, gradually becoming more green and noticeably cooler until you reach Yosemite, a glorious oasis of trees, lakes and mountains. We found a beach area, with a small tributary of water flowing through it – complete with a Beaver Dam, toothmarks visible in the logs they had dragged across the beach from the trees on the other side of the stream. I felt so small standing at the base of the sheer grey rockface that towered above me, the trees themselves dwarfed by it. We stopped off by a lake surrounded by deciduous trees and large rocks poking their peaks out of the water, a breeze gently blowing the surface of the lake producing a lapping sound at the shore where we stood. We hiked a mile or so down to Tolumne Grove, where the giant Sequoias stand proud and tall, so vast that you can’t see the top, so wide that you can fit a car through the centre. There were some that had fallen, their root systems visible – a single root wider than my thigh. The contrast to Death Valley was stark and the diversity of America’s precious landscape was evident as we visited the parks one by one.

We stayed in the town of Bar Harbor, a lovely coastal town with restaurants serving clam chowder and blueberry pancakes and hotels overlooking the ocean. Acadia National Park is a combination of coastal and mountainous scenery, with Cadillac Mountain being the central feature. We took a drive on the Park Loop, a 27 mile road offering incredible Atlantic Coastal views and a trip to the top of Cadillac Mountain itself. The view over Frenchman Bay from the north end of the park is spectacular, with 4 small weather-beaten islands of land dotted about the water. The cloud hovered over the ocean as the sun struggled to shine through, the white tips of the waves breaking as they hit the rocks of the islands sending spray high into the air. In addition to the beaches and the mountains, Acadia is also 20% Wetland, has more than 20 lakes and ponds and is covered in forest. You don’t get much more diverse than that!

Recently in the news for severe wildfires which completely destroyed the lodge we stayed in, this is the most visited National Park in the US and spans 2 States, Tennessee and North Carolina. The Smoky Mountains are part of the larger Appalachian Mountain chain which runs from Newfoundland in Canada through to central Alabama. We drove up to Clingman’s Dome, the highest point in the park at over 6500ft, offering incredible views of the Smokies – the blue hues of the mountain tops stretching for miles all around. The Appalachian Trail, described in hilarious detail by Bill Bryson in his book ‘A Walk in the Woods‘, crosses Clingman’s Dome, making it the highest point of the trail between Maine and Georgia. We actually went up twice – the first day was so foggy that you couldn’t really see further than your hand. The following morning we had another go, and wow, was it worth it! The greenery of the foreground gave way to blue as the moutains silhouetted against each other in the distance, peak after peak rising and falling, with the sun shining intermittently through the fluffy clouds that sped past in the high gusts of wind enveloping the top of the mountain, casting moving shadows over the mountains below. There are 12 endangered or threatened species of mammal, fish, insect and plant life that call this park home – it MUST be protected.

These are just 7 of the 58 National Parks in the USA, and we have been blown away by all of them – the diversity and beauty of America’s natural landscape is incredible and MUST be preserved. I haven’t even mentioned the National Monuments, Recreational Areas, Preserves and Forests that we have been fortunate enough to visit, and the National Park Service looks after each of these (I will just include photos here as I will write about them elsewhere, but they are all too beautiful to leave out!):

This is the America I love. I can’t wait to visit more of these unique wonders of nature. I just hope that the current administration recognises their inherent value and doesn’t destroy them for profit. Here’s to many more years of unspoilt beauty!

Many thanks to the National Park Service for maintaining and preserving American history, nature and wildlife for future generations.

Boston. One of America’s most famous cities, home to Harvard University, some of the country’s richest history and the largest city in New England, it makes sense to start a tour of the North East region here.

We arrived in early May – an unseasonably hot day, there was an air of happiness with everyone relaxed, wearing shorts and baseball caps and filling the many open public spaces. We had 2 nights in Boston and a lot of ground to cover. Here is what we got up to:

1. Baseball at Fenway Park

I realised as we walked towards Fenway Park (the oldest ball park in Major League Baseball, built in 1912 and home to the Boston Red Sox ever since) that I had never been to a live professional sporting event! I know that is almost impossible to believe, but it’s true. So to say that I was excited was an understatement. We soaked up the atmosphere in the evening sun as people, some clearly straight from work in suits and ties, milled about eating hotdogs and drinking beer. Our seats were right on the back row, which gave us a great overview of the park.

Baseball is one of America’s favourite pastimes and never before have I felt so simultaneously a part of and apart from American culture. No one seemed to be paying particular attention to the game, yet every now and then a ripple of applause would echo through the stadium, for reasons unfathomable to me. Guys walked up and down the steps with trays of drinks or hotdogs balanced on their heads. We ordered a drink, passing our money down the line and receiving our drinks and change back again. Occasionally, the game would be interrupted by local kids doing performances, tributes to soldiers and police officers, and even a live proposal of marriage at a seemingly random point. After every single pitch, music was blasted out; sometimes the famous ‘Ballpark Organ music’, other times chart hits, and some details of the batter or pitcher appeared on the big screen. The sun was low, casting long shadows of the players across the field, and as the light faded behind the now glowing Coca-Cola sign, so too did the warmth. A strong, cold wind blew through the open bleachers and we snuggled together stubbornly drinking our iced lemonade for as long as we could bear it. We gave up at around 9.30pm (the Red Sox were losing anyway, apparently). It was marvellous fun and a great experience. I recommend it.

2. A Self-guided ‘Freedom Trail’ exploration

Boston is a great city to walk around, and following the Freedom Trail is the ideal way to see many of the city’s historical sights. There’s a handy red line in the pavement to follow and it leads you into some seriously pretty neighbourhoods such as Charlestown, complete with narrow streets, old-fashioned lampposts and the most stunning display of window boxes you’re ever likely to see (I suspect a little ‘one-up-man-ship’ from the house owners, but that’s fine by me). We opted for a self-guided tour so we could do things at our own leisure, but if you so wish you can follow costumed period characters around whilst they describe the history to you – it looked liked great fun.

3. Go to a place where everybody knows your name

In need of some refreshment? A good place to stop is at the Cheers pub. There are actually 2 in Boston. One is on Beacon St (pictured above) and was used for the exterior shots in the actual TV series. The other is near Faneuil Hall and features a reproduction interior. We enjoyed a lovely lunch and much needed break here – having already walked several miles in strong sunshine – which I’m sure made the pink lemonade taste even sweeter. Sadly no one knew our name. Not a soul.

4. Relax in Boston Common

This is just one of many beautiful open public spaces in Boston. A well designed and cared for place for people to relax and socialise, play and recharge, it is thought to be the oldest public city park in the US, dating back to the 1600s. We enjoyed a lovely stroll through the Common in the sunshine. It’s only small (50 acres, compared to London’s Hyde Park at 350 acres, or New York’s Central Park at 843 acres), but it truly is a refuge from the busyness of the city. The spring flowers were all in bloom and there was colour everywhere (you can read more about springtime in New England here).

5. Check out the view from the Skywalk at the Prudential Centre

There is something special about seeing a city from a different perspective, looking down and taking a moment as those below go about their lives. From The Skywalk at the Prudential Centre you can see 360 degrees around greater Boston from 50 floors up. Whilst the view here isn’t famous like the New York skyline, it’s still very beautiful and well worth a look.

6. Visit the Old State House

The Old State House was built in 1713 and housed the early government of the Colonial communities, and was where the Declaration of Independence was read in public for the first time in Massachussets. You can see all kinds of historical artifacts from history, ranging from clothes worn by John Hancock (a prominent Patriot of the American Revolution) to tea from the Boston Tea Party (see below for more details). The building itself stands in contrast with the modern architecture that has developed around it, and when we visited, it glowed in the afternoon sunshine.

7. The Old South Meeting House

The Old South Meeting House was built in 1729 by the Puritans, and was used for public meetings as well as worship. Long story short, in 1773 the British Government introduced the Tea Act, which allowed the East India Company to ship tea to the Colonies and only allowed certain Loyalist merchants to sell it, with added tax (it is more complicated than this, of course, but this is a blog post!). Increasingly angry meetings were held in the Old South Meeting House between the Loyalists and Patriots, leading to some pretty dire events including the Boston Massacre. A meeting held on December 16th 1773 failed to reach a compromise, and resulted in the Boston Tea Party – the destruction of a shipload of tea in Boston Harbor. It was this event that sparked the American Revolution and eventually the creation of America as we know it today.

We were fortunate enough to visit at the same time as a school group who were re-enacting the events of that infamous meeting. Each child had their own role to play, with a Loyalist group (essentially those loyal to the Crown and British Parliament) and a Patriot group (those opposed to both). We quietly observed the scene play out – the children acting their little hearts out – full of passion and clearly loving every minute of their day out of the classroom. One boy was particularly pleased with his line, “NO TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION”, the small voice echoing around the room as he reacted with surprise at how loudly he spoke, followed by a big grin as he returned to his seat. It seems the British were not very pleasant at all, behaving like a bully stealing the lunch money from the kids they perceived to be weaker. It was an hour or so well spent, even if negotiating the gift shop looking for a fridge magnet whilst 50 children all decided which completely unrelated-to-the-attraction bead necklace or bouncy ball they were going to buy with their $3 pocket money was more than a little frantic.

8. Take a wander around the Reflection Pool and visit the ‘Mapparium’

Another of Boston’s many open public spaces, this is actually called ‘Christian Science Plaza’ as it is the home of the ‘Church of Christ, Scientist’ Headquarters (not to be confused with Scientology – a whole different idea which Tom Cruise is famed for being a part of). The building itself is complex and beautiful, with turrets and domes surrounded by trees and a huge ‘Reflection Pool’, mirroring the buildings at its edge. There was a group of children playing in the fountains at one end of the pond, shrieking with delight as they ran and ducked through the water. You can visit the Mary Baker Eddy (founder of Christian Science in 1879) Library, which houses the ‘Mapparium’, a 2-storey stained glass map of how the world looked politically in 1935. It is beautiful, and has the ‘whispering gallery’ effect on your voice which is great fun to try out: Whisper into your chest at one end of the walkway, and your friend can hear you loud and clear on the other end. You’re not allowed to take photos, so this one is from the people at Focus Lighting who revamped the lighting system at the attraction:

Photo Credit: Ryan Fischer, Focus Lighting, www.focuslighting.com

9. Visit the Bunker Hill Monument

The Battle of Bunker Hill was the first battle of the Revolutionary War in 1775 and whilst the Brits won this one, the Colonials put up a great fight and showed what they were made of. The monument is in the Charlestown District, the oldest district of Boston. The pavements are cobbled in places, and the houses closely packed together, painted in bright pastels with American flags flying from many of them. The sound of the breeze gently moving the trees above us was the only sound we could hear until we approached the momument itself. There were many visitors, some opting to climb up the inside of the 221 ft tall obelisk, others (like us) content with sitting on the many benches, recovering our breath and gazing out at the view from the top of the hill. It forms a part of the Freedom Trail, so if you’re taking this walking tour, you’ll see the monument.

Of course there are many other things to do in Boston; these were our highlights and the things that have stuck in our minds. It would be great to hear other’s experiences too.

Having been to New York in 2015 (you can read about that trip in another post), and uttering the words, “Mum would hate it here”, I decided a trip to New York with my Mum would be a great plan.

We discovered around 2 years ago that Mum had 1st cousins living in Connecticut (CT) and whilst CT has its own International Airport (Hartford Bradley), flights are at least £100 more expensive than flying to New York, and you can’t fly direct. Seeing as this was Mum’s first Trans-Atlantic flight I didn’t think rushing for transfers would be wise.

New York City is only 2 hours drive from CT, so why not stop off and explore The Big Apple! I had already seen the main sights, but Mum hadn’t so I repeated some experiences. It was so different this time around, taking a little more time, a slightly slower pace. Here are some highlights of our trip.

1. Staying at The Dylan

Picking a hotel is always a challenge. Looking for a central hotel that’s near a Metro station AND reasonably priced is not easy, but we stumbled upon the Dylan, a block away from Grand Central, with breakfast included. It was perfect. A townhouse sitting in the middle of 41st Street, the decor simple but stylish, the rooms comfortable, and the breakfast plentiful, we could be at New York Central Library or 5th Avenue or Grand Central within 5 minutes.

On my last trip, my husband and I stayed at the One UN on 44th Street, directly opposite the UN Headquarters, with a lobby that wows you and raises your expectations when you walk through the doors. There are great views of the city from the rooms, but we didn’t have a great experience! I will write about our 2015 experience at some point, but I enjoyed the Dylan far more, and I would definitely stay there again.

LESSON: Don’t be swayed by swanky. Lovely views are luxury, but how long will you be spending in your room, really? Go for clean, comfortable and convenient every time!

On my last visit to the station, (you can read about it here) we didn’t linger long. With Mum, it became our central hub, where we started out and returned to each day. We spent TIME standing at the top of the steps watching the commuters rushing past. We ate delicious chicken and salad out of a polystyrene box in the food hall, sitting amongst the people of New York; the workers in their suits grabbing a bite and reading the New York Times, the kids shrieking in delight at their phones and munching fries, the homeless people sheltering from the rain and chatting with outreach workers. It was bustling and noisy and chaotic and wonderful.

LESSON: Eating in a restaurant with table service is great, but most definitely not necessary. Sit amongst the natives. Listen to their conversation. Watch through that small window you have into the life of someone who’s experiences are so different to yours.

3. Central Park

On my last trip, in May 2015, New York was HOT. Central Park was awash with bright greens under the bluest of blue skies, wispy cloud floating quietly by. There were hundreds of people in shorts and t-shirts lounging in the grass, snuggling with their partners or playing frisbee with friends, eating ice-creams and applying factor 50.

Not so in March. The trees were bare and the grassy areas fenced off to protect the vulnerable grass. Last Autumn’s brown and orange leaves were blowing limply across the pathways and the sky was heavy with cloud, threatening rain. The chill in the air stung our cheeks and turned our fingers numb, people were wrapped up tightly and music came from the ice rinks as skaters whirled around, falling, laughing, spinning and jumping.

We sat on a bench next to The Pond, watching the birds flit in between trees collecting twigs for their spring nests and a young girl, no more than 20, sieving through dirt next to the water, occasionally throwing bits in and muttering to herself as she worked. A saxophonist played ‘Make Someone Happy’ in the distance and a dog scuffled in the leaves at our feet.

We moved along, pausing to take the occasional photograph or to watch a performer blowing huge bubbles or painting street art. A group of performers had gathered a huge crowd and were big on audience participation. They had 4 or 5 poor souls lined up whilst they shouted and sang and vaulted over them. We watched for a few minutes, then made our hurried exit before we got picked on. An entire morning flew by in this very simple way; people watching, wandering, sitting, taking pictures.

LESSON: Beauty can be found in the glow of summer AND the hardness of winter – appreciate a place as you find it, not as you remember it!

3. The Rock Center Cafe

After our morning in the park, we were hungry. We ate at the Rock Center Cafe as we had tickets to the ‘Top of the Rock’ at 3pm. We sat at the bar for a drink – Mum asked for tea, and he presented an odd arrangement of a pre-poured mug of tea (no teabag), which had an appearance similar to slightly burnt milk, and hot water in a porcelain jug (presumably to weaken the tea even further). Mum was grateful for the hot beverage, but said it tasted like ‘gnat’s pee’. I had coffee, always the wiser choice in the States.

We were shown to a table overlooking the ice rink, which afforded us more fabulous people watching opportunities. 5 skaters in particular caught our eye. They were taking this skating lark very seriously indeed, and there was significant rivalry between them.

‘The Purple Lady’, a delicate woman in a purple figure-skating dress, with grace and style on the ice, adding little flourishes as she glided around the rink practising one element over and over again, clearly frustrated with her perceived failures.

‘Ska-man’ wore a bright turquoise shirt and black trousers, complete with sunglasses and a black Pork-Pie Trilby hat. He included more funky moves and shuffles, too cool for school with his hands either in his pockets, or held loosely behind his back. He pretended no one was looking, but clearly hoped they were.

‘Am Dram’ meant business. Wearing headphones and a vest/trouser combo showing off a toned physique, he was performing to music only he could hear, flicking his head up and raising his arms to an imagined audience. He was full of passion, using all the available space to twirl and dance around the rink, genuinely very good, but clearly showing off. Occasionally, he would come to our edge of the rink, lean up the wall, and engage in the kind of ‘Broadway Musical Number’ breathing where the whole chest and shoulders move up and down.

‘Street’ was sporting an oversized royal blue football jersey paired with baggy jeans. He alternated between speed skating up the straights, then gliding around the corners, arms outstretched with flare and poise. This was his one and only move, but he executed it with style.

‘Dr. Who’ was an older gentleman wearing a beige three quarter length trench coat, undone with the belt flapping as he moved. Halfway through dinner he removed his coat, revealing a tweed jacket, a black shirt and a red silky waistcoast, a fedora completing his look. His style was Sinatra-esque, and he treated us to a personal show of pirouettes and pivots, regularly embellishing by lifting his hat above his head, then spinning it back on with a flick of the elbow. He moved about the ice like a gentleman romancing a lady, even if he did take out the occasional kid in the process.

We spent 2 hours eating that lunch and cherished every minute, laughing at the unexpected theatre that played out before us and enjoying each other’s company.

LESSON: Slow down! Whilst you may not get to see everything, you end up seeing so much more!

5. Top of the Rock

Mum is scared of heights, so to go up a really high building was a challenge. But you can’t go to NYC without going upwards at some point, and soon enough we emerged on the top of the Rockefeller Building, the wind blowing away the cobwebs and New York City sprawled before us.

This was a new experience for both Mum and me as I didn’t have time on my last trip. I was captivated. In terms of views, I think it is better than the Empire State Building; on one side you have a fabulous view of Central Park with its straight edges and high-rise frame, on the other a view of the Empire State, standing tall and unmistakable, piercing the sky with its antenna. I had expected the Rockefeller to be the poor relation of the ESB, but not so. The ESB is iconic, and I think a first-timer should definitely get up there – but for views, you just can’t beat the Rock.

LESSON: Don’t let your expectations dictate your decisions. On my last trip, we didn’t make time for the Rockefeller because we perceived that it wasn’t as good as the ESB. Prepare to be pleasantly surprised – sometimes the things you least expect can produce some of your favourite memories.

We managed to fit a lot in to our 3 night stay, far more than covered here, yet it was wonderful to experience New York at a slightly slower pace – I appreciated the city far more and now I can’t wait to go back and experience more of what New York has to offer.

The infamous skyline appeared over the horizon as we approached the Lincoln Tunnel, and excitement welled up within me. I was filled with anticipation at what the city had in store for us but we only had 2 nights, which is NOT long enough to see New York in all its splendour.

This is a review of our itinerary; what worked and what we could have done better – I hope it helps you plan your trip!

Day One: 2.30pm – Midnight

1. Grand Central Terminal

Grand Central is far more than just a railway station. It’s a core part of New York’s identity, featured in a million movies (probably), and it doesn’t disappoint. A place where you can observe the fast-paced life of a city in action, this impressive building and its tremendous people-watching potential is a great place to centre yourself for a tour of the city.

TIP: You can combine your visit to Grand Central with a meal in the huge food court downstairs if time is of the essence – they do great chicken!

2. Central Park

We walked from Grand Central down 5th Avenue to Sheep Meadow in Central Park, which took about 30 minutes. Now it may seem obvious but Central Park is a must-see, and it’s vast at 2.5 miles long and half a mile wide. You could easily spend a whole day there, but with such little time the most interesting thing for me was the famous image of the high rises around the straight edges of the park. I love the juxtaposition of nature and city in such close proximity, giving the sense of peace and tranquility all the while enlivened by the knowledge that the city is right there, waiting for you to emerge refreshed.

TIP: Head to Sheep Meadow as it’s a great viewpoint for the park and city, and you can chill out for a while with the locals.

3. Coffee at Cafe Lalo

For those of you familiar with the 90s movie ‘You’ve Got Mail’, this is the setting where Tom Hanks and Meg Ryan meet up. As a big Tom Hanks fan, I wanted to go and have coffee here, and you know what? I’m really glad we did. The cafe sits on an otherwise residential street off Broadway on 83rd Street and is a Parisian style patisserie. It’s all wooden inside with an antique cash register and a selection of desserts, pastries and cakes to make your mouth water. The sun was shining, we were thirsty, and we sat in the large open window sipping raspberry lemonade in the thriving atmosphere. It was wonderful. I would heartily recommend it, however, if it’s just a drink you want and aren’t obsessed with visiting movie sets like me, there are closer places to go.

TIP: If you’re really in a rush, you can pick up some water and a hotdog from a street vendor and eat in the park.

4. Empire State Building

We’d had enough walking, so caught the metro Red Line from 79th to 34th Street with the aim of getting to the top of the ESB before the sun began setting. One of the most iconic buildings in the world, the Empire State has somehow managed to maintain its infamy despite not being anywhere close to the world’s tallest building for many years now. The Empire State is iconic and, whilst there are other options to see the view, if this is your first time in the city, I would say do it.

TIP: Buy tickets online before you go to save time in queues, and go up an hour before sunset and watch the sun go down from the top. Once you’re up there, you can stay as long as you want, so wrap up warm and watch night fall over Manhattan. It’s honestly one of my favourite memories of all time!

5. Times Square

Having watched darkness descend, it was time for some neon. Times Square is only just over half a mile from the Empire State Building, so we walked. We spent a little while in front of one of the big screens trying to get our face on it, which was not normally the sort of thing we would go for – but it was so much fun and I’m glad we did. Here is a picture of our achievement:

It took about 20 minutes to centre ourselves in the heart We are the bespectacled pair right in the middle. What winners we are.

TIP: Climb to the top of the red steps on Father Duffy Square for a perfect viewpoint to people-watch and gawp at the neon.

6. Dinner at Planet Hollywood

We were in a very crowded Times Square at 9pm, and we were hungry. We had come upon a $10 voucher for Planet Hollywood, so in we went. We didn’t have great expectations, and perhaps that played in the restaurant’s favour, but the service was great and our meal remains one of my favourites on our trips! I had a beautiful salad with a perfect balance of flavour, and I’ve recreated it several times at home. It was kind of fun, too, surrounded by all the memorabilia – sometimes it’s the unexpected things that prove to be the best!

TIP: If you leave eating until a little later, you won’t have to wait for a table and it will save you valuable time.

Day Two: Full Day in New York City

7. Helicopter Ride

So this is a little unusual for a 2 night stay, granted, but it was a birthday present from me to my husband. It was a misty day, but New York still delivered in the haze, and hovering over the Statue of Liberty was wonderful – a truly unique viewpoint.

TIP: If you only have 2 days, don’t take the helicopter unless it is a specific dream that you’ve always wanted to fulfil. It will take up a whole morning, and is really expensive. If you decide to do it, book ahead online to avoid disappointment and arrive in plenty of time. The experience will take up almost half a day for a 45 minute flight, so you need to factor that in to your planning.

8. Statue of Liberty and Ellis Island

We headed towards Battery Park to catch the boat to the Statue of Liberty. What trip to NYC would be complete without a trip to the Statue of Liberty? Once again a must-see on a first trip to the city, an iconic symbol of America standing tall and proud, guarding the gateway to the USA from Europe. We went up to the crown; 354 steps to the top, and whilst you can get a lift up to the pedestal level there’s no lift up to the crown. It’s a very narrow, steep spiral staircase leading up through the body of the statue and I was exhausted at the top, where you can peer out of small windows whilst experiencing the muscle burn of lactic acid, biding your time before your descent.

TIP: Buy your tickets online in advance. This way you can skip the queues and save a lot of time. Crown tickets cost more, and involve significant physical exertion for what I would argue is minimal gain (and a whole world of pain if you’re as unfit as I am). If time is of the essence, I wouldn’t bother – pedestal tickets are just as good and there is a lift! The whole experience, including Ellis Island, can take around 3-4 hours, so plan accordingly.

9. A quiet night in

We were shattered after Lady Liberty, and headed back to the hotel to plan our evening. In the end, the rain closed in and it absolutely threw it down – we really wanted to go and see Brooklyn Bridge, and initially it felt like a ‘waste of time’ to stay in, but we sat at the window of our hotel overlooking the Empire State and Crysler Buildings, and watched the world go by from the 32nd floor as the sound of the rain hammered against the slanted glass. It was fabulous.

TIP: Go with the flow. Even if you don’t have loads of time, sometimes saying no to one thing means you can experience something else. You’re never going to see everything in 2 days, so do what is right for you – every experience will leave you with valuable memories that can never be replaced.

Day Three: 11am – 2pm

9. Ground Zero

We still hadn’t seen the 9/11 Memorial so we took the Metro to Wall Street and walked around the corner to Ground Zero. We found the memorial to be really well thought out and rather beautiful, and it’s a very peaceful and reflective place. We crammed this visit in, but I am so pleased that we did. These days, you can go up the One World Trade Centre, but back then it was still being built. Make time to see this memorial if you can. It’s worth it in my opinion.

TIP: There are museums and exhibits that can take time and cost money, but a visit to the Memorial itself is free and is a way to save on time if you don’t mind missing a deep look into the events of 9/11.

So 2 nights in New York. Not ideal, but I hope I’ve shown that it’s possible to do a lot in New York even when time is tight and given you some tips to make even more use of your time than we did!

It has always been a goal of mine to go to New England. I’ve read so much about it over the years; the lighthouses, the history, the foliage. New England in the Fall. That’s the dream right?

The problem is…flights are more expensive, hotels are more expensive, and according to all sources, the area becomes extremely busy with ‘leef-peepers’ – tourists who flock to New England for 2-3 weeks towards the end of September to the middle of October each year to watch the leaves change, adorning the landscape with fiery reds, yellows and oranges.

We opted to travel to New England in the Spring in order to save a bit of cash – always in the back of my mind was a flutter of disappointment that we couldn’t make it in the Autumn, but what a treat we had in store. Here are 5 things that make Spring an amazing time to visit New England.

1. The colours are stunning

A sentence heard often in the context of New England, but not usually relating to the Spring. However, the beauty merely takes on a different palette. Instead of the rusty colours of Autumn, we were treated to vibrant pinks and bright purples as trees covered in blossom lined every road:

Tulips decorated the parks and public spaces:

The colourful New England houses contrasted so perfectly with the pastel hues of the flowers.

And the greens were so…well, green!

The place positively hummed with new life. It was wonderful!

2. It’s quiet

Not in the kind of way that a place can make you uncomfortable – as if it’s very unpopular. Rather in a peaceful way – the winter tourists have gone home and the summer ones are yet to arrive. Any time before Memorial Day at the end of May will be ‘pre-season’. The downside? Some places close for refurbishment or cleaning. The upside? You’re guaranteed a table in good restaurants, attractions are cheaper, you may well get the best rooms as there is low occupancy, and you can enjoy the stunning countryside and beaches in peace and quiet!

3. You can see baby whales

Cape Cod, Massachussetts is a great place to go whale watching. It is such a privilege to see these incredible creatures in the wild – especially when you get to see mothers with their babies feeding in the Atlantic Ocean. Humpback Whales give birth in the middle of winter when they are in the Carribean. They migrate over to the Atlantic in the Spring with their offspring where they feed for 4 months or so, before leaving once again for the Carribean in the Autumn.

4. And cool pairs of birds preparing for parenthood

This particular bird is the Northern Cardinal – the male a brilliant red colour and the female with a bright red beak (you can just make her out behind the blind). These birds are native to North America all year around, but in the Spring will you see males and females together foraging for nesting materials, and occasionally ‘kissing’ when the males give the females the materials they have found.

5. You can experience winter and summer all in one day

The Spring in New England offers variable weather. One minute it can be baking hot, the next, cold and windy. Layers are definitely the way forward in this part of the US. We went up the Mount Washington Auto Road in New Hampshire, not quite to the summit as it was still very snowy at the top and the road was yet to be cleared.

We climbed to 4500ft, where the wind was blowing hard, the rain was spitting and it was only a few degrees above freezing. However, when we descended back down the mountain, it was 28 degrees Celcius at the base and whilst the wind was still blowing it felt like a different place. Ice cream weather for sure.

So, New England in the Springtime? Definitely. Whilst I would still love to see it in the Fall, spring is really something here. It truly is a beautiful place full of colour, life and variety. And I for one am very glad to have seen it.

One of the joys of a Route 66 trip is the multitude of quirky road side attractions. Those slightly crazy oddities along the way that add so much to your trip.

There are way too many to feature in one post, so here are some of our favourites (from East to West).

1. The Gemini Giant, Wilmington IL

Originally an advertising gimmick, this big guy stands tall and proud outside the now closed Launching Pad Restaurant. He is probably the most famous of all the original ‘Muffler Men’ who now reside on Route 66 (others are in Atlanta IL and Springfield IL, although there are many more dotted around the US). You can’t miss him as you drive through Wilmington. As you can see from the picture, he is pretty tall!

2. The Murals in Pontiac IL

There are more than 20 murals in this charming town in Illinois, and the Route 66 shield is one of the oldest. The murals vary in subject from vintage signage to a shark on the street (yup, I’m not kidding – check it out here.) Pontiac is a great town to stop off, grab a coffee and stretch your legs with a mural tour. Murals are really common on Route 66. Another notable example is Cuba, Missouri – which has a ‘mural city’ of its own.

3. The World’s Largest Rocking Chair, Fanning MO

This wondrous giant is situated at the Fanning Route 66 Outpost in Missouri and stands over 42ft tall. Its one drawback is that it doesn’t rock (!), but you can’t deny that it’s pretty big (it holds the Guinness Record!). Of course, it is for one purpose only, to make you stop and buy stuff at the (brilliant) store that sits next to it – but the old road specialises in the unusual and it has become one of the greats of Route 66.

4. Gary’s ‘Gay Parita’, Paris Springs MO

Now I’ll be honest, I have no idea why it is called that! But Gary, the owner, who has kept this gas station alive (although it no longer sells gas) was brilliant. Full of great conversation, interesting stories and a fascinating place that he showed us around, this was one of the best stops on the whole trip for us. A true taste of what Route 66 is all about. Unfortunately, Gary passed away a few weeks ago (early 2015) so I’m not sure what will happen to his place now. If you come across it on your trips, let us know. Rest in Peace Gary…one of the world’s gems.

5. The Blue Whale of Catoosa, Catoosa OK

Originally intended as an anniversary gift, it became a rest spot for families whose children would slide down into the water and jump off his tail. This incredible giant sits by a still lake in a shady spot moments off the hot highway. It is such a restful place and well worth stopping by to catch your breath. It has become one of Route 66’s most famous icons, and rightly so.

6. 190ft Cross, Groom TX

This incredible structure is located in Groom, one of the first towns you come to in Texas on Route 66, in the middle of the Bible Belt. Standing at 190ft tall, this cross (not quite the tallest in the world) is surrounded by stations of the cross telling the story of the Crucifixion. Whatever your faith stance, this is an incredibly peaceful place. We thought it would be tacky and awkward, but somehow, they have pulled off a reflective environment which came at a welcome time after a long day on the road.

7. The Big Texan, Amarillo TX

If you’re looking for tacky, you got it! In an awesome kind of way. The Big Texan , a restaurant and motel (which we stayed in – and it was great) offers the famous 72oz steak, which you get free if you can eat it and all the trimmings in 1 hour (the record is just under 5 minutes…HOW???). It’s great fun here, with live music, fun decor and a massive cowboy boot. What more do you want?

8. Cadillac Ranch, Amarillo TX

Ok, so Cadillac Ranch is not technically on Route 66. So I’ve cheated a little bit, but it’s so worth seeing. This unusual piece of art (which doesn’t look the same in any photo you find of it as people are encouraged to spray paint the cars!) was created in 1974 by an art group called ‘Ant Farm’, and consists of various models of Cadillac, nose down in the earth at the same angle as the Pyramids. Obviously. It’s the angle I would have gone for too.

9. Giant 66 Shield, Winslow AZ

This little town in Arizona is a real find. Set off the I-40, it offers the usual mix of gift shop tack, coffee shops and Route 66 icons – here, they offer a tribute to the Eagle’s song ‘Standing on the Corner’, and some murals creating the illusion of a shop front – but the best in my opinion is the massive Route 66 shield smack bang in the centre of the town. Totally worth risking getting run over to get a photo in the road for!

10. Meteor Crater, Winslow AZ

Just along the road from Winslow lies this incredible wonder. It’s just under a mile in diameter and 570ft deep, and was created around 50,000 years ago by a meteorite. The scale of the thing is almost impossible to comprehend when you’re there, and it is definitely worth seeing. In the centre, there is a 6ft American flag, which you need binocluars to see. Seriously, this is enormous!

11. Angel’s Barber Shop, Seligman AZ

This is THE stop on the route. Located beyond Flagstaff and Williams at the start of a glorious isolated loop of original Route 66 that takes you far from the Interstate, the little town of Seligman is the home of Angel Delgadillo. If it wasn’t for this humble barber, there probably wouldn’t be much left of Route 66 at all. After the road was decommisioned in 1985, Angel started the Historic Route 66 Association of Arizona. Since then, all 8 States that the route passes through have their own association. We didn’t meet Angel the day we visited. It’s best to aim for the morning, then you may get a chance to meet him. Now in his 80s, he goes home at lunchtime, but still cuts hair! What a winner!

12. Oatman, AZ

This whole town is the epitome of Route 66. Once a thriving mining town, it suffered terribly when the Interstate came along, became run down and deserted, then began to come alive again in a completely different way. Famous for its wild burros who roam the streets (and are very friendly), a gun fight is staged at noon and the hotel (no longer a place to stay) serves up huge lunches with a smile. No one lives here anymore – they simply come to serve the tourists every day. And yet there is a great atmosphere, good food, and it makes for a really fun stop off before you cross into California.

So there we have it. These were our favourite roadside stops along the road. There are hundreds more, and I haven’t even started on the cafes and restaurants that adorn the highway…that is for a separate post. For now, we’d love to hear what your favourite places were…or where you dream of visiting one day!

“…Flagstaff, Arizona…Don’t forget Winona…Kingman, Barstow, San Bernadino…”. So goes the famous song.

Except we had forgotten Winona.

In our excitement to take that massive detour to Monument Valley, we had missed a section of Route 66 that we had to loop back on.

As if the previous day hadn’t been busy enough (you can read about it here), we decided that a trip to Lowell Observatory was in order for our evening in Flagstaff, so after our marvellous Italian meal we set off in the dark to look at the stars. It was fab. And I touched an actual meteor (trust me, I was genuinely excited).

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The following morning we set off East, headed towards Winslow. And how pleased we were that we had. We found a lovely, friendly little town, with small coffee shops and an ENORMOUS Route 66 shield on the road at the main intersection. True 66 magic. We chatted to a chap sat outside the (also enormous) gift shop for a while, took a few snaps and soaked up the peaceful atmosphere of this small town just minutes from the I-40.

We were back on track now…headed West on I-40 (which is now laid on top of the original Route 66 – so there is no choice but to use it). There was another stop just minutes up the road…one that predates Route 66 by, oh…around 50,000 years.

A meteor travelling at about 26,000 mph hit what is now Arizona, leaving a crater 1 mile wide and nearly 600ft deep. We had to see it. As with everything in the States, it has been ‘visitorified’ (that is a new word that I just made up). You pay to see it, and there is a gift shop and cafe. However, it is an awe-inspiring sight. The scale is almost impossible to fathom and it certainly reminded us once more of how small and relatively insignificant we are in the context of the entire universe.

Onwards and westwards. We left the Interstate again just before Winona (we mustn’t forget it!). There is very little to remember about tiny Winona though. I think it was included in the song for rhyming purposes rather than any memorable feature. It may have carried thousands of vehicles through towards Flagstaff in the long distant past, but those days are long gone. There are a few residential houses and an old bridge which is now inaccessible. And that is about it.

We cruised on around Flagstaff and onto Williams, the only place we had actually been before the previous year. We were keen to stop here as it was one of our favourite places from our honeymoon. We arrived in the evening in 2012, and little Williams came alive, with music coming from each of the many bars, classic diners and gift stores. It was warm and friendly and we were excited about stopping here again EXACTLY a year after we had left.

This time, we arrived in the afternoon, and there was a harder feel to the place. The sun was beating down on the tarmac, and people were hidden away inside to find shade. We found the lovely bar where we had whiled away a couple of happy hours 12 months before and sat down for a coffee. Unfortunately, we were practically ignored. No one took our order or said hi. We had to call for attention several times. We definitely felt disappointed.

We drank our coffee and re-created a couple of photos from the year before. And therein lay our problem. Our memory of the place came out of the fact that it was merely a stop off on our way to the Grand Canyon. We were expecting a bed for the night and instead we got a lively fun place on Historic Route 66 and a lovely evening filled with music and laughter. We anticipated it to feel the same in 2013…but it didn’t. I guess you always have to allow a place to be what it is, and not force it to be what you want it to be. Sometimes, memories are best left as just that.

All that said, Williams is still a lovely little place, and well worth a stop off. It claims to be the last place bypassed by the I-40 and clings very firmly to its Route 66 history. We really wanted a go on the steam train that leaves Williams once a day for the Grand Canyon, but time was against us.

After Williams, the Route 66 is synonymous with I-40, so off we went until we reached the huge arc of old road north of the interstate that leads to the town of Seligman. And this is where the modern story of Route 66 all began.

In 1987, Angel Delgadillo – who was born in Seligman in 1927 and witnessed of the rise and fall of Route 66 – set up the Historic Route 66 Association whose sole aim is to sign and preserve the Old Road. Since then, Associations have started in all 8 states along the route, and Angel has become something of a star in 66 circles. People flock to his barber shop in Seligman in the hope of meeting him. He is known as the ‘Guardian of Route 66’ and whilst he is now in his 80s, he still cuts hair in his salon.

We didn’t have the good fortune to meet him, but we had a good look around at his shop, full of artifacts and things he has collected over the years. Part of the reason that we like to travel is to ‘make memories’, and Angel understands how important it is to remember. Thanks in part to him, our trip was made a reality. Whilst Winona was less than memorable, and Williams didn’t live up to the place that is permanently etched in our minds, there was plenty more on this leg of the journey that will remain with us for many years to come.

By now, the sun was low in the sky and the air was noticeably cooler. Driving West as the sun sets isn’t easy so, rather reluctantly, we set off. We would have loved more time to spend in Seligman but a hot meal and a bed for the night was waiting for us in Kingman, our final stop in Arizona before crossing the mountains into California. We bid farewell to Angel’s place, grateful for his legacy and excited about what lay ahead.

A detour in the UK would be perhaps popping around the corner to see a friend on the way around the M25, or maybe stopping off to get some eggs after work. On a US roadtrip, a detour is more like, oh, I don’t know, 500 miles to see Monument Valley.

But it is SO worth it!

Monument Valley. One of the most recognisable sights of the USA. Made famous from countless movies and glorious panoramas, it does not disappoint.

Part of the Colorado Plateau and the Navajo Territory, it sits around the Arizona and Utah border, and as you drive north on US 163, the majestic nature of this incredible landscape begins to dawn on you.

This is the very road that Forrest Gump (on a personal note, my favourite film of all time) decides to stop running after 3 years on the tarmac.

And having been ‘crowned’ a Forrest Gump Genius at the Bubba Gump Shrimp Company in Santa Monica (the trophy, a balloon), I am thoroughly disappointed in myself that I didn’t know THIS sign existed along the road:

Gutted.

Anyhow, whilst Monument Valley was a huge diversion from our Route 66 trip, we were so glad we went. It truly is remarkable. And a little like the Grand Canyon, words can’t really describe it effectively. You have to go, feel it, see it, soak it up, and come away richer for having been there.

You can take all sorts of tours and trips down to the valley floor, and there is a sweet little gift shop where you can buy cowboy hats, gems (unrelated, as far as I could tell, to Monument Valley), and a wide variety of John Wayne merchandise. Obviously.

Once we had spent a good hour staring in silent wonder at the ‘Mittens’ as they’re called, played around with some fun photos, climbed some rocks, bought the obligatory fridge magnet from the gift shop, and consoled ourselves over the fact that we didn’t have more time to explore, we set off even further off course.

Now, I’m the kind of person that enjoys a novelty, something that you can’t do anywhere else. And we couldn’t go within 100 miles of a gimmicky tourist attraction without stopping by could we? Such is the scale of things in the US – you think that 100 miles is close. It’s like driving from Nottingham to London just to sit on the ground, take a picture and head back.

So you ‘pop’ to Four Corners.

Four Corners is the only place in the US (and I found it hard to believe so wasted a good amount of time trying to find another example on the map) that four States join together in their corners. It’s like a State line on steroids – you can hop between not 2 but FOUR states. How much fun is that?

I’ve always been attracted to such things.

Standing either side of the Greenwich Meridian Line with one foot in the Western Hemisphere and one foot in the Eastern.

Jumping from New Mexico to Texas and back again across the State line.

Lying with half of my body in Austria and half in Italy.

I could go on. It fills me with an inexplicable excitement to be able to be in 2 places at once, so as you can imagine, Four Corners blew my mind (I may or may not be exaggerating!). And besides, it meant that I could tick off Colorado as a ‘State I have been to’ in my quest to visit all 50 States in my lifetime (don’t panic, Colorandans, if that is what I should call you. I don’t for one minute think that Four Corners is the totality of what your State has to offer. We will be back!).

Here we are, with my bottom firmly in 4 States all at once (no rude comments please).

We walked all around the circle, visiting 4 States in 1 minute, breaking a law in New Mexico and seconds later being out of its jurisdiction in Colorado (I’m kidding, people). Of course, I spent most of my time at the monument in Colorado. Mega excitement. The other States were old hat. Been there, done that, got the fridge magnet. Colorado was a new frontier! An exciting development – not to mention a whole new State to scratch off on my ‘Scratch Map’.

So for me, the 200 mile round trip from Monument Valley was well worth it. But I’m a little bit strange like that.

Now, after leaving our base in Chinle AZ more than 500 miles ago, onward to Flagstaff. Back to the Mother Road, and what turned out to be possibly the best Italian meal we have ever had. Our sat-nav instructed us, “In 154 miles, turn right.”

Ah, New Mexico. Land of Enchantment. Route 66 in New Mexico offers a choice of routes – you can either carry along straight from the Texas State line to Albuquerque, or you can head north to Santa Fe and back down to Albuquerque and pick up the route there.

If you’re on a shorter trip (2 weeks) and aren’t staying in Santa Fe, it may be better to try the more direct route to Albuquerque. Here are some of our top tips for making the most of the Land of Enchantment.

1. Take the Gravel Stretch

This 18 mile stretch of Old Old road lies between Glenrio (the last town in Texas) and San Jon (pronounced ‘hone’). The tarmac was ripped up on purpose to force people onto the Interstate. You have to go slow here – but it’s a great ride, and gives you a whole different perspective of how travelling would have been all those years ago. You’ve got to do this section!

2. Stay in an iconic Route 66 Motel in Tucumcari

Motel Safari is a great little motel. Founded in 1959, it has been serving travellers of the Mother Road since then. With the proper forecourt outside and each room opening onto it directly with its own parking spot, it feels really authentic. It’s clean and modern on the inside and the owner is really friendly. There is even a shuttle bus (free, plus a tip of course!) to a local restaurant (Pow Wow’s). There are murals of Elvis and various other Tucumcari and Route 66 icons dotted around this little town close to the motel. It’s also home to the famous Blue Swallow Motel, which books up really quickly, so needs to be booked well in advance!

3. Get a train driver to honk the horn!

Ok, so technically you can do this along the route in many places, but the long roads running so close to the railroad track in New Mexico lend themselves so well to this exhilarating (if not childish) pursuit. If you have never played this game before, it is simple and (for some unknown reason) immensely satisfying when you get a result. Not all train drivers will oblige so persevere 🙂 .

Instructions (pay attention as this is the tough bit):

a) Roll down window, b) Extend arm out of window, c) Imagine you are the train driver pulling on the horn and mime the action as the train engine rolls past you, d) Let out a whoop of joy and celebration as that wonderful ‘whhhhhooooeeeooooooheeeooohh’ sounds out for all to hear.

If there was anyone around. Which there isn’t. But it was fun anyway, right? YOU did that. YOU made that happen. Ah the simple joys of life on the road!

4. Drive straight to Albuquerque & grab some lunch at a roadside diner

Let’s face the reality here. Driving Route 66 in 2 weeks is a bit of a push – especially if you want to see as much of the authentic road as you can. There are a lot of long drives and here you have the option of a very long drive up to Albuquerque via Santa Fe. Of course, you can stay in Santa Fe – but it’s a bit more pricey and you will really need to add another night to your hotel bill. Going straight to Albuquerque allows you to slow the pace somewhat – take your time, look around, play silly games with train drivers – you know, that kind of thing. Both routes are faithful to Route 66, so don’t worry about betraying the road! And besides, then you can:

5. Get the train (the Railrunner) up to Santa Fe

This is a great thing to do. Not only do you get a break from driving, experience train travel in the States, rub shoulders with the locals, miss out on all the traffic jams and get to see some pueblos belonging to the Navajo tribe – but you get to see Santa Fe, the State capital of New Mexico. There were virtually no tourists on this train. It was all local people heading off to work, school or college. We met Pete, a grandfather who had taken care of his granddaughter as if she were his own for years – he was so proud of her – and he had some stories to tell. He was one of those people who had been everywhere and done everything, yet was really down to earth and humble, and so so friendly. He couldn’t help us enough and gave us a running commentary of the history and culture on our way up to Santa Fe.

And the train company have got it right! It was $10 each return. That’s less than £6! The time on the train was the equivalent of Nottingham to London, and was almost 10 times cheaper! There was a little button at the platform that you could press and seconds later, a tinny voice asked if they could help…and they could! It was so refreshing – British companies need to take note!

Seeing as you’ve gone to all that effort to get to Santa Fe, it’s only right that you…

6. Wander around the State Capital of New Mexico

That’s right…I said WANDER. Santa Fe is one of the few American cities that you can walk around with ease. It’s the oldest capital city in the States, and as such has narrow little streets, and far smaller and fewer cars than most other cities. It’s quite European in feel, and is full of little boutique shops selling pricy art and clothing. The architecture is a real mixture of Spanish/European styles and the traditional Adobe structures of the Native Americans. The church pictured above is the San Miguel Chapel, apparently the oldest church in the United States with its adobe walls constructed in the 1600s. There are many lovely restaurants to choose from and you can sit outside in the ambient temperatures well into late September.

7. Explore Albuquerque Old Town

Much like Santa Fe, the Old Town district is very Spanish in style, yet with a Native American twist. Radiating out from the central Plaza (where live music is played from a very European looking bandstand), it is a very relaxing environment to shop, have an ice-cream or a meal and watch the world go by. Albuquerque itself is the most populated city in New Mexico and is made up of several different districts. I would suggest trying to get a hotel as near to Route 66/Old Town as you can – travel is easy by car, but the roads are BUSY! Pop down to Old Town in the evening – the shops are open until around 8pm and it’s very peaceful there away from the hustle and bustle of the newer parts of town.

8. Have brunch at the 66 Diner in Albuquerque

This was the BEST diner we ate at. The food was great, but it was the atmosphere that made it for us. There were people queuing when we arrived at 11am (it opens later on a weekend) and with good reason. There were classic 1950s tunes playing, the decor was brilliant and the staff were excellent (and dressed in 1950s attire). When we asked if there was wifi available, the reply was, “Not in the 1950s”. Authentic to the last! The apple pie was to die for. We asked to share one, so they put double the amount on one plate – only in America!

There are many other things that are wonderful about a journey across New Mexico on Route 66. Too many to mention here. These are just a few of our tips for a short visit. It is so worth spending more than 2 weeks on the road in order to get the full flavour of each State. But most importantly, DO this trip. It’s amazing!

If you can’t stretch to a Route 66 trip just yet, you can buy our photographs to help with the dreaming here.

Texas has a reputation amongst us Brits as being huge – it is 3 times the size of our entire country (yet the UK has nearly 2.5 times more people living there!). It’s the 2nd biggest US State (Alaska is even bigger) and has the 2nd largest population (after California). I guess the notoriety of Texas was aided by countless Western movies and, of course, the TV series ‘Dallas’.

So you can imagine our excitement as we woke up in Oklahoma (which, by the way, we did not do justice due to our late arrival and the fact that it was our wedding anniversary), knowing that we were heading towards the Lone Star State.

We set off from our hotel and promptly got utterly and horribly lost. Turns out finding our way to Amarillo wasn’t going to as easy as we first thought!

We headed in what seemed like a sensible direction (West), but to no avail. We went round and round the same section of Interstate 40 trying to figure out where on earth we had to get off to join 66 again but no joy. In the end, we pulled off at any old junction where we could park in a side road to check the map and figure things out. We had been on the road for an hour already!

We parked up, read all our documents, checked the sat nav, turned the maps this way and that way. We could NOT make sense of it. AT ALL! We sat back in the car, exasperated. I looked up to check out our surroundings. The street sign ahead said NW 23rd Street – hang on a minute – I’m sure the EZ66 said that we needed to be on that street! I rustled through the pages of the guidebook and sure enough: ‘Stay on NW 23rd Street for 2mi to May Avenue’. Whoop Whoop! We had accidentally found ourselves exactly where we needed to be. Thank goodness.

Relieved, we set off and were back on track. By now, though, we really needed a toilet stop. But we were out of the city now and there was nowhere around. As I was looking around for possible ‘restroom options’, I glanced over at a big lake – and spied a portaloo! Oh, praise be! We pulled over by what turned out to be Lake Overholser (actually a reservoir) and took advantage of the rudimentary facilities…and the peaceful view over the lake.

Relieved (in a slightly different way this time), we set off through the towns of El Reno, Weatherford and Elk City with a brief stop at the Route 66 Museum in desperate need of a coffee. They didn’t sell coffee.

We continued on through Oklahoma passing many a derelict motel and cafe that in days gone by would have warmly greeted us with hot coffee and friendly atmosphere.

Still caffeine and sugar deprived, we arrived in Texola, the last town in Oklahoma before you cross into Texas. Now this town really is empty. Not quite a ghost town – apparently in the 2010 census there were 36 residents. On the main street through the town, there is very little by way of attractions. However, we were people in need of coffee and in all honesty, pie – and Texola had it. So we stopped at a little place (actually called the ‘Tumbleweed Grill and Country Store‘) in the ‘Water Hole #2 building.

There was a lady and her dog (Licker – or Liquor – we weren’t sure which). The lady didn’t say much but gladly sold us a cup of coffee and some beautiful American Apple Pie. We were so ready for it. The shop is a fascinating little place. You should definitely stop by. Full of little knick knacks, Americana, souvenirs and pieces of art that the lady there had made herself.

There really is no place like Texola, even if it is a little sad that this once thriving Route 66 town has been reduced to what it is today. I guess it is this same fact that lends it its charm.

Revived once more, we left Oklahoma and crossed the state line into Texas – the Lone Star State. We were staying at the Big Texan Motel in Amarillo, and it was at this point that we realised with great disappointment that we were utterly unprepared musically for this section of our trip.

Before we left, I had downloaded every Route 66 album known to man, and with song titles like, ‘Gallop to Gallup’, ‘Hoppin in Joplin’, ‘Tucumcari Tonite’ and ‘A-L-B-U-Q-U-E-R-Q-U-E’ (we will NEVER forget how to spell that particular New Mexico town), we were set with quality tunes covering all possibilities. How could I have neglected to purchase ‘Is this the way to Amarillo?’ The song was much more popular in Europe than it ever was in America – of course made universally known in the UK by Peter Kay et al for Comic Relief. Here we were in Texas, on our way to Amarillo – and no Tony Christie. What a waste!

The first thing we came across in Texas was The Devil’s Rope Museum. A entire museum dedicated to that most fascinating of topics: Barbed Wire. Yup, it’s true. As you can imagine, we were gutted that it was closed.

Next up, Groom. Here they have a 190 foot high cross, surrounded by 14 life size statues depicting the stations of the cross. We were expecting this to be tacky, but in fact it was incredibly reflective and serene. There was a scene of the Last Supper, along with a hill complete with 3 crosses, Christ in the middle of the 2 thieves.

We moved on to what we knew would be the opposite of here. The Big Texan Motel, famous for its 72oz steak – gluttony and excess – yet fun and typically (or perhaps stereotypically) Texan! If you can eat the 72oz steak plus all the trimmings and a drink in an hour, you get it for free. Needless to say, we left this challenge to those more greedy – I mean – adventurous – than us and settled in to our more than ample meal of quesadillas and a myriad of sides.

Our motel room was suitably tacky with suede shower curtains complete with tassels and saloon doors into the bathroom. Our meal was suitably beige and enormous, and the music was suitably western in style. We loved it. And I have never experienced such a powerful shower – it felt like four million little tiny needles jabbing into your skin – not necessarily pleasant, but impressive water pressure. Texas knows how to do it BIG!

We’d made it to Amarillo – without asking the way a single time, even if we did get lost for well over and hour. There are worse places to get lost than Route 66. Never a dull moment!